It is thought that the house was used as a hospital by Union and Confederate forces. The second floor walls contain inscriptions, drawings, messages, and signatures of Civil War soldiers, therefore, the name “Graffiti House.” The graffiti may have been created by soldiers recuperating there, posted in the area, or just passing through town. See this link for an excellent description of the history of the house.

Brandy Station is strategically located at the junction of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, and the Old Carolina Road. The Old Carolina Road connected Philadelphia and Raleigh, NC. It entered Culpeper County at Norman’s Ford on the Rappahannock River, passed by the base of Fleetwood Hill, through Brandy Station to Stevensburg on what is now the Stevensburg Road (Route 663). It then proceeded south and exited into Orange County at Raccoon Ford. Roads also led from Brandy Station to Kelly’s and Beverly’s Ford on the Rappahannock River. These two fords were among the most heavily traveled and fought over fords in the Civil War.

Some of the graffiti was destroyed, and other pieces removed by parties unknown. However, much of it still survives and the writings are one of the most extensive collections of Civil War-era graffiti. There is a Northern Virginia Civil War Graffiti Trail. A link to a pdf of the brochure can be found here.

Sites on the trail (links included) in addition to the Graffiti House at Brandy Station include: Blenheim in Fairfax; Ben Lomond in Prince William County; Liberia in Manassas (undergoing restoration); Mt. Zion Historic Park in Aldie; and the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum (additional link) in Winchester.